How to Stop a War Before it Begins
by The Self-Proclaimed Book Whore
Summary: "Oh, don't mind me...I'm only trying to stop a war before it's even started and save half the people in this room from dying. Fate loves making me her bitch which means I have a lot of information. Albus can explain. I need sleep." What if Harry went a bit further back than he expected instead of moving on when he talked to Dumbledore at Kings Cross. harry/albus!friends


Disclaimer: I don't own anything. No matter how much I did, I don't. :(

The original idea had him waking up on the morning of the Third Task and having him destroy them all and kill Voldemort in the one day, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work so this happened.

* * *

Sitting at the back of the classroom Harry had his eyes closed as he ran over spells in his mind for the Third Task. A sudden jolt of nausea had him resting his head on the empty desk in front of him until everything stopped swaying.

The soft scratching of quills around him hazed into silence. Then everything was a blur of colour and noise, images of people, some he knew but older, some he didn't know. Images flashing before his eyes like a badly cut movie that made no sense.

" _Kill the spare."_

" _Who's Cedric – your boyfriend?"_

" _I see you've met my mother."_

"… _the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."_

" _Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident."_

"… _but if You-Know-Who's possessing him…"_

"… _you cannot deny he's got style…"_

"… _Longbottom … I had the pleasure of meeting your parents."_

" _Harry, take the prophecy, take Neville and run!"_

"… _it's too late … nothing you can do … he can't come back, Harry."_

" _That's for my father…"_

"… _you four saw what happened to Katie…"_

"… _I can make them hurt if I want to…"_

" _I swore to your mother I would protect you."_

" _Dumbledore's man through and through, aren't you, Potter?"_

"… _just don't think too badly of me once you've seen it…"_

" _A Pygmy Puff, but I didn't say where."_

"… _interrupted by Severus Snape."_

" _Severus … please…"_

" _You dare use my own spells against me, Potter?"_

"… _she still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten … she doesn't care … I don't care either, I don't care…"_

" _It's for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?"_

" _Mad-eye's dead."_

" _The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

"… _asked Kreature to take him to the cave … switch the lockets … ordered – Kreature to leave – without him … go home … destroy – the first locket … Kreature tried everything … Kreature failed…"_

"… _McGonagall and Flitwick and Sprout … they won't accept Snape as Headmaster … who are the Carrows…"_

" _He's g – g – gone. Disapparated."_

"… _that thing's bad for me … I can't handle it … not making excuses … affects me worse … made me think stuff … I can't do it, Harry."_

"… _it's a boy … named him Ted … you'll be godfather … Dora quite agrees, no one better…"_

"… _you're planning something with Griphook … I know goblins … if you've struck any type of bargain … be exceptionally careful…"_

"… _I knew my brother … secrets and lies … it destroyed her … we had to keep her safe … I was her favourite … I don't know which one of us it was … she was dead…"_

"… _you're joking, Perce … actually are joking … don't think I've heard you joke since you…"_

"… _it … take … it … look … at … me…"_

"… _You've been so brave … Not at all … Quicker and easier than falling asleep … he will know why I died and I hope he will understand … until the very end … we are a part of you … invisible to anyone else…"_

"… _I thought he would come … I expected him to come…"_

"… _you cannot help … and that will have made all the difference … your soul is whole, and completely your own … he failed to kill you … this is your party … can you forgive me … I crave your pardon … you are the better man … I was such a fool … I loved them, but I was selfish … that is up to you … do not pity the dead … why on earth should it mean that it is not real…"_

Harry gasped as a hand fell onto his shoulder. He jerked to his feet, wand pointed inches from the person's face.

"Mr Potter, while you are exempt from doing the exams due to your status as a champion, I would have hoped you would be courteous enough towards your classmates while they are doing their exams," said a fierce Scottish voice.

"Professor McGonagall?" Harry blurted out. "What's…" he trailed off, looking around the room.

He was in the Transfiguration classroom, despite being in the middle of an exam, every single person was looking at him. Hermione and Ron in worry, the rest of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws in a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

"Champion? … the tournament … Cedric…" Harry muttered before hastily sticking his wand back up his sleeve.

"Mr Potter, what is the meaning of this?" McGonagall demanded.

But Harry wasn't listening, he was rapidly going over everything in his mind, memories of things and place he had never done or been to.

Locking down his Occlumency shields, _thank Merlin he had decided to try learning it again while they were on the run,_ he struggled for a moment to control his breathing and ran a hand down his face.

"I have to talk to the Headmaster," he declared before running out of the room.

Using every single shortcut and hidden passageway it was less than five minutes before Harry was standing in front of the large stone gargoyle that guarded the Headmasters office.

"I need to talk to Dumbledore," he gasped as the gargoyle. "Damn it, let me in. Sherbet lemon."

The gargoyle didn't move.

"Oh, come on. I don't have time for this. _Fine_. Chocolate Frog. Cauldron Cake. Canary Cream … no, Fred and George haven't made them yet … Fizzing Whizzbee. Liquorice Wand. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans … no, he didn't … _doesn't_ like them. Sugar Quill. Ton-Tongue Toffee … argh, that's Fred and George too … Mars Bar. Skittles. M'n'Ms. Snickers. Damn it I don't know. Cockroach Clusters. Acid Pop. Ice Mice. Pepper Imps. Blood-Flavoured Lollipop. Edib…"

Harry stopped randomly naming sweets as the gargoyle began moving. "Seriously. Blood-Flavoured Lollipops. Whatever," without waiting he ran up the steps even as they were moving and burst into Dumbledore's office without knocking.

"Professor, we need to talk," he said before Dumbledore could speak.

"Of course, my boy. What has you coming to my office in such a rush?"

The happiness he was feeling that Dumbledore, and everyone else, was alive drained away as the past year's instincts came back.

"What do you see in the mirror?" he demanded, wand pointed in the older man's face.

"Myself, holding a pair of socks." Dumbledore immediately answered, hiding any shock or confusion concerning Harry's actions.

"No, no you don't," Harry said, shaking his head as he grasped his wand tighter. "The real Albus Dumbledore sees himself surrounded by his family, just like I do."

This time Dumbledore wasn't able to hide his shock. Both of them ignored the shouts and yells coming from the portraits hanging in the room.

"Let's try this again. What is Albus Dumbledore's favourite flavour of jam?"

"I must say I enjoy a good raspberry jam."

Harry let his hand loosen around his wand, _his Holly and Phoenix feather wand_. "Why does your brother hate you?"

Dumbledore sighed before answer softly. "He blames me for our sister's death."

Harry let out a shaky laugh. "It's you … it's actually you."

"Harry, my boy. What is the matter?"

"I don't … I don't know … you're dead and I should be … I let him kill me … because Snape showed me his memories, oh Merlin Snape's dead and everyone hates him, but he's not a Death Eater … I mean he was but he isn't, he's a spy and no one knows … he was protecting the students as best he could from the Carrows … but McGonagall and I dealt with them … they don't matter anymore…"

Harry let Dumbledore push him into one of the fluffy armchairs as he continued rambling.

"I let him kill me," he repeated. "And then I was at Kings Cross and you were there … you said I could move on … I could have been with my parents and Sirius and Remus and Tonks and Fred and everyone else … but I chose to go back and I thought back meant back to Hogwarts to the forest where Volde … the Taboo … where _he_ was … but I ended up in McGonagall's classroom … and they were all just doing an exam like the war wasn't happening and _there should be a battle going on right now_ … and you're alive and…"

"Harry," Dumbledore's calm voice broke through his increasingly frantic ramblings.

"Professor?"

"I need you to drink this for me, Harry." Dumbledore softly commanded, holding up a vial to Harry's lips.

"What is it?" Harry asked wearily.

"It's just a calming draught."

Harry nodded, letting Dumbledore pour the vial down his throat.

"Harry, I need you to tell me everything."

"Everything?"

Dumbledore nodded, an odd look on his face. "Start from the Third Task of the Tournament. Everything, no matter how odd or impossible."

So Harry did, everything. He barely noticed when Dumbledore handed him a mug of tea when his voice began to get scratchy. He didn't stop talking when a house-elf popped into the room and then when a moment later Dumbledore was pressing a plate of food into his hands, he just kept talking around mouthfuls of food. By the time he was finished he had no idea what day it was, let alone the time.

"…I asked if it was and you said just because it was happening inside my head it didn't mean it wasn't real, next thing I know I'm in the Transfiguration classroom holding Professor McGon ... Oh Merlin, she's going to kill me. I held Professor McGonagall at wand point. I didn't know what else to do so I came to you. You do believe me, don't you, Professor," he pleaded. "I'm not crazy."

He flinched slightly as Dumbledore placed a hand on his arm. "I know, my boy. I believe you."

"You do?" Harry looked up from the half-empty mug of cold lukewarm tea and into Dumbledore's eyes. Dulled emerald green stared at saddened blue, searching for something … or maybe for a lack of something, whatever it was he found it. "You do," tears welled in Harry's eyes at the relief that flooded him.

Dumbledore pulled Harry into his arms after his breath hitched, letting the teen sob into his shoulder. After some time Harry gingerly pulled back, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Sorry Professor," he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Nothing to be sorry about, my boy." Dumbledore smiled. "Bed for you I think, then we can discuss what to do."

Harry nodded numbly as Dumbledore handed him another vial. "Dreamless sleep, I think you'll need it." Dumbledore explained and Harry smiled gratefully before downing the vial's contents. He stood up and let Dumbledore lead him into another room and onto a bed. He barely felt a thing as Dumbledore stripped off his robes and tie, transfiguring his uniform into a pair of pyjamas, and removed his glassed before pulling the covers over his sleeping body.

He was asleep long before Dumbledore extinguished the candles and shut the door behind him before sitting behind his desk, head in his hands. "Oh, Tom what have you done."

* * *

It was over a day later, once Harry had finally woken up, over treacle tart and lemon pie that Harry finally asked _the_ question. "What do you think happened to me Professor?"

"I'm afraid I can only offer you weak guesses, my boy."

"And a guess from you, Professor, is fact from anyone else."

"You flatter me, Harry." Dumbledore smiled. "Call me Albus, my boy."

"Professor?" Harry asked, head tilted to a side.

"I think we have reached a point where we are no longer _just_ student and teacher. I dare say you know more about my life that any other person, alive or dead, call me Albus."

"If that's what you want, Prof… Albus." Harry flushed as he stumbled over the different way of addressing the older man.

Dumbledore merely smiled indulgently. "Now, as for what I think happened to you. I'm afraid I will need more time to research what has happened and as it is we have something more important to deal with."

"Voldemort."

"I believe the best way for us to test these new memories you have is to find one of Tom's Horcruxes."

"Now?"

"I can see no time better than the present," Albus agreed. "Unless you do not feel up to it."

"I'll be fine once Voldemort's dead and every single Death Eater is in Azkaban," Harry said viciously around a bite of his favourite tart.

"I've had you excused from all classes until the Tournament is over. I also thought it prudent to collect a few things from your dorm."

Harry gave a smile as he noticed his father's invisibility cloak, the Marauder's Map, his photo album, Firebolt and some other bits and pieces, including several sets of clothes in the room he had slept in.

"Pro… Albus?" he asked.

"I feel it would be better if you stayed in my quarters until the Final Task is over, do you disagree?"

Harry opened his mouth, then shut it again as he thought it over. Could he really stay in the Gryffindor common room, surrounded by everyone, wonder around the castle and act as if everything were normal. That he hadn't watched so many of them fight and die … their bodies lying in the Great Hall … what felt like only days ago. "You're right," he agreed, finally. "That would be best, thank you."

* * *

The castle was empty as Harry and Albus walked through the halls, Harry leading Albus through many passageways the Headmaster didn't know about, avoiding and students, teachers and visitors with the aid of the Marauder's Map.

They stopped on the seventh floor where the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy hung.

Albus' eyes lit up with wonder. "Explain to me again how this room works."

Harry shook his head. "Walk past it three times while you think about what you want," he repeated as he did just that.

 _I want the room of hidden things. I want a place to hide something. I want the room of hidden things._ He repeated in his mind as he walked back and forth.

Albus let out a gasp of delight and surprise when a door appeared on the wall.

"Come on Albus, you can play with the room some other time." Any and all novelty had long ago worn away for Harry after countless DA meetings and various other uses.

"Okay, the Diadem is on the bust, which is on top of the vanishing closet, which is near where I hid the Potions textbook. So that way," Harry took several steps right and almost started walking up one column of abandoned junk before spinning on his heel and walking in the other direction. "I meant this way."

Albus laughed and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Take your time my boy."

Before long they were standing in front of the bust. Harry reached up and grabbed the Diadem off the bust it was resting on. "Alright then," he swallowed. The knowledge that his memories were real sank in for the first time and something hard set in his eyes.

"Come," Albus wrapped an arm around his shoulders and the two left the room.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this, Albus?"

"Quite sure, my boy."

The pair was standing in Albus' office.

"Alright then, _Expelliarmus!_ " Harry said, wand pointed at Albus.

The Elder Wand flew from Albus' hand and Harry caught it deftly.

Albus walked over to one of the many bookcase and picked up a long slender box, moving to the main table he placed it down and picked up the wand that rested on soft red velvet.

He gave it a wave and nodded in approval as a silvery phoenix flew out. The image of Fawkes flew once around the office before disappearing.

"The locket next?"

"The locket."

* * *

"…FILTH OF THE FAMILY! BLOOD TRAITORS! BESMIRCHING THE GOOD NAME OF THE BLACK FAMI..."

"SHUT UP!" Harry roared, sending a spell at the portrait. Walburga Black was silenced as the set of curtains wrapped around her frame.

Albus watched on as Harry scowled murderously at the portrait.

"It's in the library," Harry said, giving no reason or explanation for his actions.

Once the two were in the dusty room Harry grabbed the sword attached to his back and held it loosely in one hand. "That draw," he said nodding at the desk. It rattled as Albus approached it and he stopped.

Harry frowned in confusion and Albus could tell the exact moment he remember why. "Boggart. There was a boggart in there."

Albus nodded and with a flick of his wand the draw flew open. Arianna's body flew out and flopped onto the floor.

Albus paled and Harry stepped forward. "It's just a boggart, Albus. It's not real."

" _Riddikulus!"_ Arianna jumped up and began pirouetting around the room before turning into a Dementor.

" _Riddikulus!"_ Harry growled, not giving the Dementor-boggart time to remind him of any of his many horrors.

The Dementor-boggart exploded.

Harry handed Albus the Sword of Gryffindor and grabbed the locket out of the draw. Kneeling on the floor in the middle of the room he looked up at Albus. "I'll tell it to open and then you stab it. It'll fight back, but don't listen. Just stab."

Harry waited for Albus to nod. " _Open._ "

The locket gave a small click before opening and a ghostly Aberforth and Arianna rose up. " _We would have been so much better off without you,_ " Aberforth spat.

" _You killed me,_ " Arianna cried. " _It's your fault I'm dead. You never loved me. You always hated me, hated us because you had to take care of us. Because we stopped you achieving your dreams._ "

"Stab it, Albus. Kill it. It's lying!" Harry yelled as Albus stared, haunted, at the images of his siblings.

Aberforth and Arianna twisted in to one figure. Gellert Grindelwald. " _How could you, Albus. We were best friends. I loved you. We could have been brilliant together. How could you give_ us _up for_ them _."_

Harry threw himself out of the way as Albus brought the blade down onto the locket. A scream rang out as the piece of Riddle's soul was destroyed.

Harry got to his feet and hugged Albus as a tear ran down the older man's face.

* * *

Harry helped himself to another slice of treacle tart before flopping back down onto the sofa. He laughed when Fawkes flew down off his perch to rest on his shoulder. Breaking off a small piece he held it up for the Phoenix.

Albus shook his head at the pair's antics.

"So, Severus will stay at the school. The only teachers that will come are McGonagall and Flitwick. Sirius and Remus are a given." Harry summarised. "I would have liked Mad-eye, but that would never work without letting on to Crouch Jnr. Madam Bones is a definite. Kingsley too. What about Tonks and Mr Weasley. For that matter, how about Bill and Charlie Weasley as well?"

Albus thought it over before nodding and adding their names to the list.

"Can we trust Scrimgeour?"

"He's a good Auror," Albus said finally. "Not so much a politician.

"I never really liked him. He seemed a decent Minister, before Voldemort had him killed anyway. Loads better than Fudge. But then a muggle would be better than Fudge." Harry mused, an amused smirk on his face as he imagined having a muggle as Minister of Magic. "All he wanted was for me to smile and support the Ministry," Harry said, his grin turning to a scowl.

A soft _bing_ rang out, both Harry and Albus abandoned their plates.

"Time to get the ring."

* * *

Disillusioned, Albus kept a hand on Harry's shoulder, who was hidden under his cloak, as they walked through the small village of Little Hangleton.

Three hours later the Gaunt Shack went up in flames as two invisible figures watched. There was a small pop and they disappeared, the younger of them now wearing a ring on his right hand.

* * *

The door to Albus' office burst open with a loud bang as Harry ran in. "Finally got the bugger, Albus," he smirked cheerfully as he crossed the room.

"Ragnok took a while to talk round, but I think I got a good deal considering I just asked them to steal from one of their own high security vaults. Half my trust vault plus three-quarters of the Basilisk meat from the one I killed and two-thirds of the teeth. They wanted the heart as well but I kept to it that Snape gets first pick on the eyes, heart, blood and venom. Oh, and they get one-third of the profit from the hide. They even agreed to harvest the full snake for us when I happened to mention the full shed hide in the anti-chamber. I'm telling you Albus, I was really not looking forward to breaking into that place aga…"

Harry's eyes widened and he froze in shock when finally looked up from where he was rifling through Albus' desk. "Well … this is awkward."

Seated around the office in a variety of different types of chairs were the four Heads of House, Hagrid, Remus with Sirius in Padfoot form at his feet, Madam Bones, Kingsley, Tonks, Mr Weasley, Bill and Charlie Weasley, Aurors Proudfoot and Savage as well as the aforementioned Albus.

All sixteen stared at him with varying expressions, mostly confusion and more confusion. Albus alone was smiling, that damned annoying twinkle in his eye. "Brilliant, my boy. When should we be expecting them?"

"Uhhh, Darkmoore and his team are going to come in the second week of July. You and Snape are welcome to come along, they're going to get Bill to come too, not sure why, forgot to ask, I'll have to be there as well to open the Chamber up." Harry answered, his eyes not moving from where Remus and Sirius were. "Hello, Moony. Snuffles."

Remus blinked. "Hello, Harry," he said after Sirius gave a bark.

Harry yawned, and broke out his stunned stupor. "Right, I'm going to go kill a cup and a tiara," he said before walking into a small room off Albus' main office.

He popped his head around the door after a moment. "Albus, where did we leave the sword?"

"You were practicing with it before you left for Gringotts, Harry."

"Right."

There was a prolonged silence due to shock in Albus' office as Harry closed the door. A moment later a wave of magic rang out, closely followed by a second one.

There was a thump and Albus was across the room in seconds, flinging the door open. "Harry, are you alright?" voice low and worried.

"Peachy, Albus. Just peachy."

Albus stepped aside and Harry came out of the room, Sword of Gryffindor in one hand, a small golden goblet and a silver Diadem in his other, a rank smell clung to Harry's clothes. "I'm going to have to burn these aren't I," Harry scowled, screwing up his nose.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" a hoarse voice demanded. There were screams as most of the room recognised Sirius.

Harry was across the room and standing in front of Sirius, protecting him from the dozen or so wands pointed in his direction, in seconds. Only Albus, Snape and Remus didn't have their wands up. "Sirius is innocent," he snarled.

"Indeed he is," Albus agreed. "If you could all lower your wands, we will explain."

McGonagall was the first to lower her wand, closely followed by Flitwick, Sprout and Mr Weasley. Bill and Charlie lowered theirs once their father did.

"Amelia, Kingsley, do you not trust me?" Albus asked gently.

Both slowly lowered their wands as did Proudfoot and Savage. Only Tonks remained with her wand up. "He's really innocent?" she demanded, an unreadable expression on her face.

"I would never have hurt Lily and James, it's my fault they died, but I wasn't secret keeper." Sirius explained, his voice begging them to understand. "I convinced them to switch to Peter, I was too obvious. No one would suspect that _rat_."

McGonagall raised a hand to her chest and sank back into her chair as Hagrid began sobbing.

Tonks shot forward, past Harry, and slammed her fist into Sirius' jaw. "That's for making my mother cry," she snarled before punching him again. "And that's for making her think she was the only decent Black." Another punch. " _And that's for leaving_ me!" she sobbed before throwing herself into Sirius' arms.

Sirius grinned as he stumbled back, his arms around Tonks. "Missed you too, Nymphie."

"It's Tonks," her voice was muffled by Sirius' shoulder.

"This is all well and _lovely_ ," Snape drawled sarcastically. "Headmaster, if you are not going to explain the meaning of this circus I shall return to my labs, Madam Pomfrey has requested a number healing potions in anticipation of the Third Task."

"Ahhh, yes." Albus sat back in his squishy armchair and waved his hand, gesturing for everyone to sit back down.

"Albus," McGonagall interrupted. "Are you sure Mr Potter is required to be here?"

All eyes turned to Harry who was collapsed on a sofa, his eyes shut. "Oh, don't mind me," he snarked. "I'm only trying to stop a war before it's even started and save half the people in this room from dying."

"Mr Potter…"

"Harry…" Albus warned, sounding amused.

"Prongslet?" Sirius asked.

Harry sat up and sighed. "Let's just say fate just loves making me her bitch which means I have a lot of information. Information that Albus and I have been using. All you need to know is that Voldemort will rise again on the night of the Final Task. Albus and I trust everyone in this room and we need your help to round up all the Death Eaters and make sure everything goes to plan." Harry said shortly before yawning loudly. "Look, I've just spent a day and a half haggling with goblins so they would steal something out of one of the Lestrange vaults … I need sleep. Albus can explain it all."

Standing up he swayed slightly and suddenly Albus was there, handing him a vial.

"Dreamless sleep again?" Harry asked. Albus nodded. "Isn't this stuff meant to be addictive," he commented but drank it anyway.

"Professor Snape keep an eye out for snakes … same goes for you Mr Weasley. Proudfoot, Savage watch out for trolls. Professor McGonagall try not to get jumped by either of the Carrows. Bill, stay away from Greyback and be sure to ask Fleur out. Tonks, keep away from Bellatrix and don't take no for an answer when Moony askes you out. Moony, stay away from Antonin Dolohov, also man up and ask Tonks out and no, you can't play the werewolf card 'cause she knows and doesn't care. I want my godson you two. Padfoot, don't joke around with Bellatrix and stay the hell away from curtains."

For the second time in less than a week he let Albus lead him from the room and into a bed.

* * *

The moment Albus stepped back into his office he was attacked by a flurry of questions. Holding up his hands he waited for quiet. "I will answer your questions, but only after you listen to what I have to say. Anything not pertinent to defeating Voldemort can wait until later."

* * *

Harry walked down to the Quidditch pitch with Remus at his side, Padfoot loping along besides him.

"Moony," Harry said softly.

"Yes, cub."

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Remus wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, tugging the teen into his side.

"I called you a coward for running away from Tonks and Teddy. I never apologised and then you died. I never meant it I just said it so you would go back to them. Parents shouldn't leave their kids unless they have to." Harry explained, unconsciously repeated the words he had said to Hermione a lifetime ago in Grimmauld Place.

"It's alright, Harry. I'm sure you did what was right."

"Thanks Moony. For everything."

Remus nodded wordlessly and pulled Harry into a hug. "You'll be fine, cub. Sirius and I will be there the second you call."

"I know." Harry stepped out of the hug and knelt to hug Padfoot. "Love you, Sirius." He whispered into the dog's ear.

* * *

"Hullo, Harry." Cedric smiled as the four Champions waited together.

"Hey, Cedric. Fleur. Viktor." He forced a smile at the three older students.

"You've had the whole school in a flap," Cedric commented lightly, the underlying question obvious.

"Just a misunderstanding," Harry lied. "Good luck in there."

Neither of the three older Champions noticed or commented on the hardness in his eyes or the weariness on his face.

As they waited in silence Harry slipped his hand in a pocket, feeling for the invisibility cloak he had in there. Around his neck was a necklace with a small silver pendant shaped like a Phoenix. While he would use his Holly and Phoenix feather wand during the Task he would duel Voldemort with the Elder Wand that he had in a holster under his shirt. The Resurrection Stone sat in a ring on his right hand. The Sword of Gryffindor was strapped to his back, invisible. Riddle's diary was in a second, magically enlarged pocket.

* * *

Harry sped through the maze, his way aided by Crouch Jr.'s assistance and his prior knowledge of the maze combined with several hours of studying a map of the maze over the past few days. He didn't bother making any mistakes for the sake of making it look like he had no idea how to get through the maze.

Just like the first time round he heard Fleur scream and then red sparks lighted the sky.

Then Cedric screamed, but unlike last time he didn't go to the Hufflepuff's rescue. Red sparks ignited the sky for a second time that night.

Unwilling to waste time answering the sphinx's riddle he took a different route, and easily made it past the acromantula.

Stalking up to the cup he looked to the sky and saluted castle in the distance. "For the Order of the Phoenix, for Dumbledore's Army and for Hogwarts," he cried and grasped the cup's handle.

* * *

He barely managed to land on his feet and swayed as his scar burned. He let himself be stunned by Wormtail.

Despite knowing what was going to happen, Harry couldn't help but silently pray that the potion wouldn't work. But then Voldemort was pressing a finger to the Dark Mark on Wormtail's arm as his scar burned.

"How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it? And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?" Voldemort hissed as Wormtail whimpered on the cold ground.

Pop's sound around them as Death Eaters appeared.

Harry concentrated on his Occlumency shields as Voldemort wasted time with talking.

"Untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand."

"You're a pathetic, spineless, coward Pettigrew," he hissed as Wormtail released him. "Personally, I think Azkaban is too good for the likes of you."

Wormtail cowered away after shoving Harry's wand into his hand.

"We bow to each other, Harry," said Voldemort. Harry bowed at the waist, his eyes not leaving Voldemort's.

"And now – we duel."

In quite possibly the stupidest decision he had ever made Harry stood his ground as a Cruciatus Curse sped towards him.

His body trembled violently and he dropped to a knee but he didn't scream.

Voldemort released him. "How very interesting, Harry, that you do not scream. _Crucio!_ " he cried again and Harry was only just able to contain his scream, biting a hole in his lip instead.

And then it stopped. Harry swayed to his feet as a trail of blood ran down his chin.

"That hurt, didn't it?"

When Harry didn't answer Voldemort hissed. " _Nagini, attack."_

The snake slithered forward, striking in the blink of an eye. But Harry was quicker.

" _Sectemsempra!_ "

The curse struck Nagini as she flew through the air, her body separating into several pieces before it hit the ground.

"Do they know you're not a pure-blood, Tom?" Harry asked casually as he stepped out of the path of flying snake. He slipped his hand to his neck and sent a jolt of magic into the necklace.

"How dare you spread lies," Voldemort snarled.

Harry clenched his left fist, remembering the words that had been carved there. "You're the only one telling lies, Tom."

Voldemort snarled and shot a curse at Harry who deflected it easily.

"Haven't you told them? Sure your mum was a witch, but precious daddy was as muggle as they come, he didn't have a drop of magical blood in him. Sort of figures why you dropped the name, Tom, it must be so embarrassing having to wear the name of a muggle."

Voldemort yelled in rage. " _Avada Kedavra!"_

* * *

Albus paced restlessly as the four Champions raced towards the centre of the maze.

Finally, after two lots of red sparks had gone up and two Champions had been retrieved from the maze, did they hear Harry's cry. "For the Order of the Phoenix, for Dumbledore's Army and for Hogwarts."

The moment Harry disappeared chaos broke out on the grounds.

"SILENCE!" Albus cried, his voice magically loudened. "Students, follow your Prefects to the Great Hall, Professor Sprout will be in charge, I trust you will follow her every word."

He turned to the small group who were surrounding him. Remus, Padfoot, Madam Bones, Kingsley, Tonks, McGonagall, Flitwick, Proudfoot and Savage were quickly joined by Mr Weasley, Bill and Charlie.

"Dumbly-dorr, what iz zee meaning of zis?" Madame Maxime demanded.

"Yes, Dumbledore," Fudge demanded. "Explain."

"Not now Cornelius," Albus said, brushing the Minister of Magic off as he spotted Snape and Hagrid approaching them, the latter had an unconscious form draped over a shoulder.

"Poppy, take Miss Delacour and Misters Diggory and Krum to the hospital wing. Be prepared for more patients, at least two, possibly more. Severus, rescue Alastor. Hagrid, take Crouch Jnr to the dungeons, don't leave him unless myself or Severus come."

Madam Pomfrey nodded and began ushering the three students towards the castle, Snape and Hagrid following them.

Once everyone had left the pitch Albus drew a length of rope from his pocket and everyone made sure they had a good grip on it. It was several minutes before a soft glowing emitted from the Phoenix pendant hanging his neck.

"It's time," Albus said. "For Hogwarts," Albus said as he touched his wand to the rope and the group disappeared.

* * *

They appeared on the edge of a graveyard. Silently they split into the pre-agreed upon pairs and surrounded the smaller circle of Death Eaters, within them Harry and Voldemort.

"…the only one telling lies, Tom." Harry's voice rang out to them, even from a distance Albus could make out the minute, tell-tale tremors running through Harry's body.

Albus threw up a shield and several silent charms as Voldemort threw a curse at Harry.

"Haven't you told them?" Harry taunted, and Albus could tell the others were wondering what Harry was doing, this was the one part of the plan they had agreed not to share. No doubt it would have cause much disapproval and anger from everyone. "Sure your mum was a witch, but precious daddy was as muggle as they come, he didn't have a drop of magical blood in him. Sort of figures why you dropped the name, Tom, it must be so embarrassing having to wear the name of a muggle."

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

Albus resisted the urge to close his eyes as Harry let the killing curse hit him in the chest.

Screams rang out and Albus was glad of the silencing spells and immobilising charms he had subtly cast.

It felt like an age before Harry's body crumpled to the ground when in reality it was less than a second.

"Harry Potter, Saviour of the Wizarding World and The-Boy-Who-Lived, is dead." Voldemort cried out into the night as began to laugh, his circle of Death Eaters cheering.

" _Crucio!_ " Voldemort cried again and Harry's body flopped up and down in the air, unaffected by the curse.

"Tomorrow, we shall be joined by those who are unable to tonight and we shall seek out those too cowardly to return. But for now, we celebrate. Tonight marks the new dawn for the Wizarding World."

In the silence after Voldemort's declaration came a low, humourless laugh and Albus finally released the breath he had been holding.

* * *

Just as he had in the forest, several days ago and three years into the future, Harry let the killing curse strike his chest. In split second before it hit he saw a flash of clear blue in the distance and smiled.

* * *

There was no in between. No Kings Cross station. No one to meet him.

One moment he was standing in the graveyard, a killing curse heading for his chest. The next he was face down on the wet ground, Nagini's decapitated head inches from his face.

There was a buzzing in his ears before he could hear anything.

"…ur of the Wizarding World and The-Boy-Who-Lived, is dead." The Death Eaters surrounding them began to laugh with Voldemort.

" _Crucio!_ " Voldemort cried and Harry wasn't expecting it. But his body merely flopped lifelessly in the air.

Harry unnoticeably sighed as Voldemort stopped the curse, letting his body fall back to the ground.

"Tomorrow, we shall be joined by those who are unable to tonight and we shall seek out those too cowardly to return. But for now, we celebrate. Tonight marks the new dawn for the Wizarding World."

As Voldemort finished Harry began laughing softly but in the silence it carried across the graveyard.

In the stunned silence Harry slowly got to his feet, shaking slightly from the whole dying thing and the repeated Cruciatus'. As they all watched he dropped his Holly and Phoenix feather wand into a pocket before retrieving the Elder Wand.

Reaching into another pocket he grabbed Riddle's diary and tossed it at Voldemort's feet.

Recognising it Voldemort snarled in anger at its destroyed appearance.

"You can blame dear Lucy over there for that one, Tommy-boy," he said, waving a hand in Lucius' general direction. "He should _never_ have given it to Ginny Weasley … too bad for you she is stronger and better than you will ever be."

Voldemort snarled and shot a curse at Lucius. The Malfoy patriarch scream before collapsing to the ground.

"I'd give the ring back as well, but I'm afraid I've taken a bit of a fancy to it." Harry smirked, displaying his right hand.

With the Elder Wand in his left hand, he reached behind his head with his right and grasped the handle of the Sword of Gryffindor. The moment he touched it, the sword became visible again and he drew it from the sheath Albus had transfigured for him.

"Of course Salazar Slytherin's locket, Helga Hufflepuff's goblet and Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem belong to school, so you won't be getting those three back, as does Godric Gryffindor's sword. But somehow, I doubt he'll mind all that much it if I borrow it to rid the likes of you from the world."

"Tell me Tom, how does it feel to be mortal again?" Harry grinned dangerously and flung the first spell.

The two battled fiercely.

"He's mine," Voldemort had yelled when several of the Death Eaters made to intervene. Though visibly reluctant they had stepped back into the circle.

Voldemort using his extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts. Harry dodging and deflecting everything he could with the Sword of Gryffindor – the sword, bolstered by the Basilisk venom – was able to deflect almost all magic, while casting with the Elder Wand in his left hand.

" _Avada Kedavra!_ "

" _Expelliarmus!_ "

The two spells joined, glowing gold where they connected. Harry poured more and more power into the spell, bright scarlet slowly overtaking vibrant emerald as a golden appeared around them.

There was a loud crack as Voldemort's wand split down its length and the two spells ended explosively.

Harry shot forward as the dome shattered into the air and, with both hands on the hilt, swung the sword in a wide arch across his body from right to left.

The blade swung clean through Voldemort's neck and, just as Nagini before him, Voldemort was dead before he hit the ground.

The Death Eaters immediately began throwing curses and hexes at him, but Harry was not alone.

The second Harry had begun swinging the blade Albus had dropped his shield and freed the last minute Order, allowing them to go to Harry's aid.

Within seconds all the Death Eaters were tied up and unconscious.

Harry swayed over Voldemort's headless body laughing softy. "He's dead … he's finally dead."

Using the bloodied Sword of Gryffindor as a cane he pointed the Elder Wand at Voldemort's body and a fiery phoenix shot out of the wand. Fiendfyre consumed the corpse as they all watched.

* * *

Madam Bones, along with Proudfoot and Savage, apparated straight back to the Ministry with all the Death Eaters and Voldemort's head. The rest of them portkeyed directly back to Hogwarts grounds, just outside the castle doors, with a specially made portkey.

While Kingsley and Tonks veered off towards the dungeons, Sirius changed back into Padfoot before Dumbledore opened the doors to the Great Hall.

Remus, a hand on Harry's shoulder, Harry, Charlie, Bill, Mr Weasley and Padfoot followed McGonagall, Flitwick and Albus into the hall but stopped a few steps in while the three Professors went straight up to the Head Table.

Silence fell as the students from all three schools noticed the returning teachers.

"My apologies for the night's events," Albus began. "What you need to know is that Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort rose again tonight…" screams of panic rang out but Albus silenced them with a crack of his wand.

"Yes, he rose, but rest assured be was dealt with swiftly and without any bloodshed save his own, we also managed to apprehend any Death Eaters that escaped capture or conviction back in the First War…"

Harry, Remus, Padfoot and the three eldest Weasley men didn't hang around for much longer. As Albus spoke Harry grinned and winked at Fred and George, the only ones in the hall to notice their group of six and raised a finger to his mouth. When a twins nodded their understanding Harry turned away, heading for the hospital wing.

* * *

By the time they reached the hospital wing Remus was practically carrying Harry and Padfoot was growling low in his throat.

Madam Pomfrey, who was hovering over an unmoving Mad-eye, glanced at Harry before bristling in anger.

"I told him, I told that man," she seethed. "Dementors last year … then dragons and deadly tournaments this year … I suppose we'll have a duelling tournament next year at this rate."

She only had to point at the bed before Harry dropped down onto it, his torso elevated by the pillows, Padfoot deftly leapt up onto the foot of the bed and growled when Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to shoo his off.

"Best just leave him, Poppy," Remus said. "Don't worry, he's house trained."

"He better be Mr Lupin. What happened this time, Mr Potter?" She demanded, already waving her wand over his body.

Harry yawned and carefully set the sword against the wall. "Cut on my arm was made by a cursed silver dagger … two Cruciatus' … a killing curse ... and another Cruciatus."

Madam Pomfrey's eyes went wide as she stalked off muttering. By the time she had returned Remus had commandeered the chair next to his bed when the three Weasleys were sitting in a line on the bed next to his.

"You guys fine?" Harry asked. "Mr Weasley, Bill, Charlie?"

"We're … we're fine, Harry." Bill reassured, his eyes flickering between Harry and Fleur.

"Not when mum finds out," Charlie muttered. "She'll murder the lot of us when she finds out what we did."

"I'll take care of your mother boys," Mr Weasley murmured, his face still several shades too pale. The three Weasleys seemed hesitant to leave Harry after seeing him die not all that long ago.

Remus was still staring at Harry, his hand attached to Harry's shoulder.

"Remus … are you alright?" he asked cautiously.

"You died," Remus said hoarsely.

Harry reached out and pulled Remus into a hug. "I know, Moony."

Remus moved so he was sitting on the bed, Harry resting his head on Remus' shoulder until he was wrapped in the werewolf's arms. Remus seemed either oblivious or completely unbothered by the blood being transferred from Harry onto his clothes.

"It was me or a lot of other people. It was the only way." His attempt at explaining was stopped by Madam Pomfrey handing him a number of vials. He sighed, relaxing even more into Remus as a strong muscle relaxant stopped the residual effects of the Cruciatus.

He caught sight of the three other Champions, confined to their own beds in the hospital wing. Cedric had his arm in a sling while Fleur had burns down on side. Only Viktor was unscathed, though the self-loathing expression he had on his face told Harry everything he needed to know.

"I would apologise," he began. "For cheating in the last Task, but I couldn't risk one of you getting to the cup first. Viktor, Fleur this is Remus a good friend and former Hogwarts Professor. Over there are Arthur, Bill and Charlie Weasley. Charlie was one of the dragon handlers for the First Task. They can explain everything."

He shut his eyes, grinning, a shifted slightly do he was comfortable. It was anyone's guess as to what they had been thinking when they saw him enter the hospital wing with three redheads, Remus and Padfoot, while holding a blood covered sword. Let alone where their thoughts had taken them as they became privy to the knowledge he had apparently been under the Cruciatus curse as well as the killing curse that night.

* * *

Knowing that Remus and a newly free-of-all-charges Sirius, and not the Dursleys, were waiting on the platform for him Harry gestured for Fred and George to remain in the carriage.

"I forfeited my win in the Tournament."

"Why in Merlin's name…"

"…would you do that?"

Harry shrugged. "I was only in there because of Voldemort. Ask your dad … or Bill or Charlie. Anyway, I talked to Viktor, Fleur and Cedric they decided to call it a tie between the four us us, but there's still the prize money. We all agreed."

He handed Fred a small sack.

The pair stared at him wide eyed.

"For the joke shop," Harry grinned. "Just don't tell your mother where you got it from, by the way I'm quite impartial to the name _Weasley Wizard Wheezes_."

Fred weighed the sack in his hands. "Harry, there's got to be a thousand Galleons in here."

"I know, just think of all the Skiving Snackboxes."

"Now that's…"

"…an idea."

* * *

A/N, so yeah, that happened ... I know the last few bits kinda suck.

That big chunk of italicized stuff comes from Gof, OotP, HBP & DH. most of what Voldemort say comes from GoF.

Anyway, hope you enjoy.

-Nita


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